Update 599

On July 27th, 2013,  Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “What Man Should (Not) Do!”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

It is no secret to us that the god of this age, Satan the devil, has been very active, causing havoc all over the world, as he has been doing, in principle, since the beginning of mankind. It is also no secret to us that Satan has been trying everything he can to destroy God’s Church, and each and every one of us. We ought to be aware of that, stand guard and not let Satan persuade us to forsake God’s Way of Life and to follow the devil’s lead.

History has shown just how busy Satan is, especially in respect to God’s Church and at times when we prepare for the Feast of Tabernacles, which is quickly upon us, less than two months away.  We can expect increasing difficulties, as Satan is very angry, knowing that he only has a short time left until Jesus Christ returns.

There is much work ahead of us as we prepare for the upcoming Feast, and we must be aware of our weaknesses that can cause us to lose our focus. We must not allow them to rule over us; rather, we must conquer them.  One such weakness is laziness, which can be very addictive if we are not careful.  If we let it get out of hand, it can wind us down more and more until we don’t have the desire to do anything anymore, or at least to the point when we have to force ourselves somehow to get back on track. We cannot let that happen as we ALL have a job to do. As true Christians, we are a part of God’s Church, which is a spiritual organism, and if we neglect or refuse to fulfill our individual responsibilities within the Church, or if we think we are not really a part of it or that there is no need for us to be a part of it, then we are in trouble, as we are probably not going to survive, especially in light of what is prophesied for the near future. 

Satan wants us to be lazy and unfruitful, because he knows that if we give in to laziness, we will lose out. We read in Proverbs 13:4 that “the soul of the lazy man desires and has nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.”  We also read in Proverbs 10:4: “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” If we are diligent, zealous and “on fire,” we will be productive. Laziness bears no fruit, and it could even be considered a sin. Now, if we think that laziness by itself is not a sin, it can definitely lead to sin.

How serious is it then if we start to lack in our efforts? In Matthew 25:14-30, we read about the parable of the talents, referring to the Kingdom of God, and how easy it can be to miss out.  It requires no effort to become lazy;  it is so easy not to work hard; but this is dangerous, and we shouldn’t let it get that far.  The lazy servant was also wicked (verse 26) and unprofitable (verse 30). He did not accomplish anything. We can apply this parable to any given situation in our lives, whether it be our work, our marriage, family relationships, childrearing, prayers and studies, tithes and offerings, or involvement in the Church in general. We will not profit in anything, if we are lazy. And we will not qualify to enter the Kingdom of God and eternal life, if we become and remain lazy. 

Diligence is the key. We must work hard physically and spiritually. In this physical life, when we are diligent in our work, we will profit from it.  But the most important thing is how we do spiritually.  If we are diligent in that respect, we will profit in the most important gift which is offered to us–eternal life in the Family of God (compare Hebrews 4:11; 2 Peter 1:10-11).

We begin with reports on the hypocritical conduct of leading German politicians who condemn America’s NSA spying activities, while they themselves were apparently “proactive partners” with an “eagerness and desire” to aid the NSA. We report on Germany’s drone disaster, blaming America for it—at least in part. At the same time, we point out that the NSA activities and the government’s justification of the same might aid and abet dictatorial and freedom-restricting countries to follow America’s lead, while America’s policy of non-intervention in Syria is condemned by the BBC. We also report on Washington’s fight against journalists and the free press, and show the unrealized connection between Obamacare and the country’s spying activities.

In focusing on the Catholic Church, we report about another big scandal of the Vatican bank; the unbiblical, but, historically, very lucrative practice of indulgences and the false belief in the concept of purgatory; and the somewhat declining Catholic membership and the pope’s activities in Brazil.

High-ranking American politicians and influential moderators are still desperately trying to create a connection between the death of Trayvon Martin and racial profiling—in spite of the lack of any shred of evidence—while cases with reversed roles are conveniently ignored. We report on the erroneous thinking of most Americans regarding the evolution theory; politically incorrect crimes in Britain; and the birth of a new British prince.

We report on Japan’s warning to the UK not to leave the EU; ongoing uproar in both Turkey and Bulgaria; Poland’s ban on kosher slaughter and the underlying feelings of anti-Semitism; the deteriorating relationship between the USA and Israel; and the declaration of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church that same-sex marriages are one sign of the end of days or the apocalypse; and we conclude with an article about the occurrence of several major earthquakes in New Zealand and China.

Germany Proactive Partner in USA Spying Activities

The Verge wrote on July 20:

“Reports that the US National Security Agency is spying on European allies and bugging embassies have been met with strong condemnation in Germany, where chancellor Angela Merkel angrily denounced the agency’s activities earlier this month as ‘unacceptable.’ But new documents obtained by Der Spiegel reportedly show that German intelligence services actually make significant use of a powerful NSA spying program used to monitor internet communications…

“The NSA’s spying programs have struck a nerve in German citizens, many of whom still hold memories of the East German Stasi, the infamous secret police force that spied on countless innocent civilians before the fall of the Berlin Wall. But Der Spiegel says the new documents reveal that the German government has been a proactive partner in the mass-surveillance efforts…”

NBC News added on July 20:

“Der Spiegel reported that documents reviewed by its writers said Germany has shown an ‘eagerness and desire’ to aid in U.S. global intelligence gathering efforts. Another document describes Germany’s foreign intelligence service as the NSA’s ‘most prolific partner’ in its intelligence gathering efforts.”

This had been suspected for quite a while, but the hypocrisy of those involved German politicians is still dumbfounding.

German Drone Disaster

Deutsche Welle reported on July 22:

“Within a period of just days, German parliamentarians hope to conduct an investigation into the failure of the 600-million-euro Euro Hawk drone project, a process that would normally take months or even years. Nineteen witnesses will be called to testify before a special committee, which will conduct its work during parliament’s summer break, from July 22 until July 31. And with Germany’s federal elections just two months away, the planned testimony by Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere could prove politically explosive for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right coalition government.

“The investigative committee wants to know how the defense ministry could invest 12 years and hundreds of millions of euros in an aircraft that is not even allowed to fly in German airspace due to security concerns…

“In 2005, the Euro Hawk company was established, a joint venture between the European aerospace firm EADS and America’s Northrop Grumman. The American defense company manufactured the Global Hawk, the brother of the Euro Hawk…

“The problems, which ultimately led to the Euro Hawk failure, arose out of this business arrangement. The American airspace permit for the Euro Hawk – the prototype was built in the US – was not valid in Germany and could not be obtained… And according to the German defense ministry, the American side withheld documents detailing the technical specifications of the Euro Hawk. As a consequence, it could not be proven beyond doubt that the Euro Hawk would not pose a danger to civilian air traffic…

“But regardless of what de Maiziere tells the investigative commission in his defense, he already has the reputation of not having his house in order.”

This is in addition to the fact that many Germans reject drone warfare as immoral and as being in violation of national and international law.

Further Developments in US Spying Activities

Ubergizmo reported on July 25:

“In the PRISM saga, big companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Google and Yahoo were named, though all of them denied knowing about the program. CNET now reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that the federal government is demanding ‘major internet companies’ to hand over their users’ passwords. The report doesn’t say exactly which companies have received such requests. If we were to consider, for the sake of argument, that the government is indeed asking for passwords, what would it do with them? The obvious answer is to spy on user data such as emails, messages and other private data. It would also have full access to users’ accounts, impersonating users will become very easy.

“The report also says that the government has demanded that internet companies hand over encryption keys, a process that is used to strengthen encrypted information such as passwords. The FBI reportedly did not comment on this report, whereas Microsoft and Google are said to have declined to mention if they have received any such requests. Spokespersons of both companies said that they don’t turn over users’ passwords.”

Deutsche Welle reported on July 25:

“The US House of Representatives has rejected an attempt to limit a phone surveillance program… the White House, several senior members of Congress, and senior intelligence officials, all came out in support of the surveillance program… House Democrats and Republicans alike were split over the proposed amendment. A majority of 111 House Democrats voted for the Amash amendment while 83 were against. Among Republicans, 94 were for it and 134 against.

“In a heated debate ahead of the vote, Amash argued the Obama administration was using fear to help justify its ‘violation of rights.’ ‘The government collects the phone records, without suspicion, of every single American in the United States,’ Amash said… According to a recent poll by The Washington Post and ABC News almost three-quarters of respondents believe the NSA programs were infringing on some Americans’ privacy rights.”

But contrary to the clear mandate of the American citizens not to do so, the government will continue to spy on innocent people…

Is US Becoming the World’s Leader for the Restriction of Freedom and Liberty?

On July 21, the website rferl.org stated the following:

“Internet experts say Washington’s covert program to track the online activity of foreigners by tapping into the servers of Facebook, Google, Skype, and other U.S. companies could play directly into the hands of repressive regimes. The revelation could provide them with potentially powerful justification for existing programs that restrict online freedoms — as well as cover for implementing new measures.

“Ronald Deibert, the director of the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, one of the world’s foremost research centers on how cyberspace, global security, and human rights interrelate, says the United States has now largely ceded the moral high ground on Internet freedom. ‘As countries realize that a lot of the structural power conferred on the United States and other countries comes from their ability to essentially coerce domestic telecommunications carriers into colluding with their intercept and wiretap programs, countries around the world will quickly look to rectify that by building and encouraging their own national networks and subjecting them to their own territorialized controls,’ Deibert says… ‘It is really a kind of perverse set of unintended consequences that we’re nurturing.’

“‘National Internets’ already exist in North Korea and Cuba and are reportedly being developed in Iran… In an interview with ‘The New York Times’ on July 14, Ruslan Gattarov, a lawmaker in Russia’s upper house of parliament, said, ‘We need to quickly put these huge transnational companies like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook under national control.’… U.S. Internet companies operating in Russia and a host of other countries already face pressure from governmental bodies or law enforcement to share data. Experts say such pressure is now likely to intensify…

“Some have also expressed concern that the U.S. government’s explanation for its surveillance program — legitimate or not — could be manipulated by repressive governments: Washington has defended the program as a legally authorized method of helping to guard the country against terrorist attacks. Countries ranging from China to Belarus to Uzbekistan have previously rationalized pervasive online censorship under the banner of national security….”

It is indeed a bleak day in America’s history when the worldwide defender of liberty and freedom is now perceived as the main violator of the same and as the country, which justifies restrictions of such freedoms under the guise of national security, thereby enabling authoritarian regimes to do the same.

America’s Politics of Non-Intervention

BBC News wrote on July 23 about a letter by “the top US military officer [Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen Martin Dempsey] [who] has outlined the costs, risks and benefits of possible American military involvement in the Syrian conflict… including limited strikes and establishing a no-fly zone. But he said using force in Syria would be ‘no less than an act of war’ and could cost the US billions of dollars.”

In their analysis, BBC News wrote this:

“This is the first time the US has explicitly laid out options for using force in Syria – a glimpse of what military leaders are, presumably, advising US President Barack Obama. And the advice seems to come down on the side on non-intervention. The letter does not even attempt to address the wider challenges – of how to win UN authorisation when Russia seems dead set on blocking it; of how to secure support of war-weary Americans or reluctant allies; of the danger of further destabilising fragile neighbours; or of finding the US at war not just with Syria, but Iran and Russia.

“So, aside from quietly arming Syria’s moderate opposition, what would it take to make US intervention more likely?

“Perhaps a catastrophic clash or massacre on an extraordinary scale might shift calculations. So might the danger of Lebanon or Jordan imploding, or a large-scale use of chemical weapons, which also threatened, say, Israel or Turkey. And if a new status quo were to emerge which essentially partitioned Syria, then buffer zones in areas Assad forces no longer seemed likely to attack might seem more feasible.”

What most Americans and many others do not realize is that America has been losing its political influence and will-power to act. And as we have proclaimed for a long time, America will not win any more wars.

“Is Washington Turning Its Back on Freedom of the Press?”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 24:

“President Obama is cracking down on leakers. Both Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning face prosecution under the Espionage Act, while a New York Times reporter [James Risen] was ordered to reveal his sources or risk jail time. Is Washington turning its back on freedom of the press?…

“A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that Risen would receive no First Amendment protection safeguarding the confidentiality of his sources… The ruling could not have come at a more volatile time. In the midst of the revelations by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, the Risen trial sheds further light on the Obama administration’s unparalleled clampdown on official leakers. The 118-page judgment, which sets a precedent that could create significant hurdles for investigative journalism, has dealt a further blow to First Amendment protections for reporters in the US.

“President Obama’s war on the whistleblower is now being fought on multiple fronts — in the Russian capital, where Snowden has been given temporary documents and is soon expected to leave the airport he has been holed up in for weeks, and in South America, where the American hopes to be granted asylum. The battle is also being waged in Maryland, where Bradley Manning, a former US Army private, currently faces military trial for passing documents to WikiLeaks. And last week it took hold in Virginia’s fourth circuit appeals court, where Risen is likely to be compelled to give evidence [in a case involving activities of the CIA]…

“If Risen continues to ignore the subpoena, he could face jail time… The legal landscape now facing US journalists appears to be a bleak one… The Justice Department… expressly supported the decision, with a spokesperson announcing that the next steps in the prosecution of the case were already being examined. Ironically, the statement comes shortly after the Justice Department published new guidelines for leak investigations designed to protect the interests of reporters. The revision was a response to public outcry over the department’s aggressive investigative tactics, including subpoenaing Associated Press reporters’ phone records.

“Despite the ruling, Risen has pledged to uphold his decision not to testify…”

Our respect for those who make a promise and do not break it, even if it hurts…

The Obamacare Big Brother Database

rare.us wrote on July 20:

“Would you trust thousands of low-level Federal bureaucrats and contractors with one-touch access to your private financial and medical information? Under Obamacare you won’t have any choice. As the Obamacare train-wreck begins to gather steam, there is increasing concern in Congress over something called the Federal Data Services Hub. The Data Hub is a comprehensive database of personal information being established by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement the federally facilitated health insurance exchanges. The purpose of the Data Hub, according to a June 2013 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, is to provide ‘electronic, near real-time access to federal data’ and ‘access to state and third party data sources needed to verify consumer-eligibility information.’ …

“They certainly should be; the potential for abuse is enormous. The massive, centralized database will include comprehensive personal information such as income and financial data, family size, citizenship and immigration status, incarceration status, social security numbers, and private health information. It will compile dossiers based on information obtained from the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Veterans Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, the Social Security Administration, state Medicaid databases, and for some reason the Peace Corps. The Data Hub will provide web-based, one-stop shopping for prying into people’s personal affairs.

“Not to fear, HHS says, the Data Hub will be completely secure. Really? Secure like all the information that has been made public in the Wikileaks era? These days no government agency can realistically claim that private information will be kept private, especially when it is being made so accessible. Putting everyone’s personal information in once place only simplifies the challenge for those looking to hack into the system…

“Given the slap-dash, incoherent way Obamacare is being implemented the prospect for quality control is low. And the Obama administration’s track record of sweetheart deals, no-bid, sole-source contracting and other means of rewarding people with insider access means the Data Hub will be firmly in the hands of trusted White House loyalists. So if you think the IRS targeting Tea Party groups was bad, just wait for the Obamacare Navigators to be unleashed. ‘Trust us,’ the administration says, no one will abuse the Data Hub…”

The country is indeed in DEEP trouble.

“Vatican Bank Again at the Center of a Financial Scandal”

IB Times wrote on July 21:

“The Vatican has once again been rocked by scandal as Italian prosecutors press ahead with a money-laundering investigation of three of its top former officials that threatens the Holy See’s Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), or as it’s commonly known, the Vatican bank.

“Following the arrest of Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, who was head of analytical accounting, for allegedly attempting to smuggle $26.5 million from Switzerland to Rome; Giovanni Maria Zito, a former agent who is now a Carabinieri police officer; and Giovanni Carenzio, a financial broker, in June, two more top Vatican officials have been accused, prompting their resignations. The news comes at a bad time for Pope Francis as his plans to bring the bank into line with other European banks, even agreeing to forgo the Vatican’s infamous secrecy laws, look to have taken a hit…

“This is not the first time the Vatican Bank has caused controversy in the financial sector. From 1971 to 1989, Archbishop Paul Marcinkus was involved in the higher echelons of the Vatican Bank. He was allegedly involved with Mafia-linked Sicilian banker Michele Sindona and Italian banking executive Roberto Calvi, president of Banco Ambrosiano, which collapsed with massive debts, including around $250 million to IOR, one of Banco’s main shareholders.

“After a number of investigations by the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the U.S. Justice Department, including his alleged involvement in the delivery of $14.5 million worth of counterfeit bonds to the Vatican in July 1971, Marcinkus was cleared of wrongdoing. Calvi, on the other hand, was found dead, hanging from a rope under Blackfriars Bridge in London, victim of a faked suicide. Marcinkus was wanted for questioning on the murder but sought diplomatic immunity by taking refuge in the Vatican, although not over the murder of Calvi, but instead over huge losses that the Vatican incurred by setting up fake offshore shell companies in the Bahamas. The murder was later found to have been committed by the Mafia.

“The case against the Vatican officials is still in its infancy, but formal charges are expected to be brought in the coming weeks and months by Rome prosecutors. The bank was established in 1942 by Pope Pius XII to handle the Vatican’s finances that were held in different countries — then embroiled in World War II — by religious orders, cardinals, bishops and priests. The bank is estimated to hold around $7.5 billion in assets.”

The Bible has much to say about the riches of the Catholic Church in these last days. In addition, in his remarkable book, “Secrets of the Freemasons,” Michael Bradley claims on pages 150 and 151 that “Many people feel that Calvi’s death was symbolically Masonic… The Vatican’s role in the Banco Ambrosiano scandal has been used as evidence that Pope John Paul I was murdered for attempting to root out financial and Masonic corruption in the Holy See.” Bradly also says that the Vatican Bank is “personally owned by the Pope and loans money to religious projects worldwide.” 

Catholic Purgatory and Indulgences

The Guardian reported on July 16:

“In its latest attempt to keep up with the times the Vatican has married one of its oldest traditions to the world of social media by offering ‘indulgences’ to followers of Pope Francis’ tweets. The church’s granted indulgences reduce the time Catholics believe they will have to spend in purgatory after they have confessed and been absolved of their sins. The remissions got a bad name in the Middle Ages because unscrupulous churchmen sold them for large sums of money. But now indulgences are being applied to the 21st century.

“But a senior Vatican official warned web-surfing Catholics that indulgences still required a dose of old-fashioned faith, and that paradise was not just a few mouse clicks away… Indulgences these days are granted to those who carry out certain tasks – such as climbing the Sacred Steps, in Rome (reportedly brought from Pontius Pilate’s house after Jesus scaled them before his crucifixion), a feat that earns believers seven years off purgatory. But attendance at events such as the Catholic World Youth Day, in Rio de Janeiro, a week-long event starting on 22 July, can also win an indulgence.

“Mindful of the faithful who cannot afford to fly to Brazil, the Vatican’s sacred apostolic penitentiary, a court which handles the forgiveness of sins, has also extended the privilege to those following the ‘rites and pious exercises’ of the event on television, radio and through social media… In its decree, the penitentiary said that getting an indulgence would hinge on the beneficiary having previously confessed and being ‘truly penitent and contrite’. Praying while following events in Rio online would need to be carried out with ‘requisite devotion’, it suggested.”

This is so unbiblical, but people are willing to believe just about anything, and even act upon their beliefs, as long as they are not the truth.

Catholicism in Brazil

On July 17, Al Jazeera reported:

“Pope Francis will be in Brazil starting on Monday… expected to bring over a million Catholic pilgrims, mostly youth, to Brazil. It will be historic for all the obvious reasons: The first Latin American Pope, the first trip as pope to South America, neighboring his native Argentina… Brazil is ‘the world’s largest Catholic country.’ … But what exactly does that mean?…

“The total population of Brazil is 198.4 million, as of last year. Of the total population, 169.3 million identify themselves generally speaking as Christian, and of those, 123 million strictly identify as Roman Catholic (123,280,172 to be exact), while another 42 million Protestant. But it’s the fast growing evangelical/Pentecostal religions that seem to be the biggest challenges to the Catholic Church in Brazil… In short, the Vatican can still rely on Brazil to be the place of the largest pool of ardent Catholics anywhere in the world. But it’s not the absolute numbers that should concern Pope Francis, it’s the trend lines.”

And so, the Catholic Church will do something about this, trying to reverse the trend lines in its favor.

Revolution in the Catholic Church?

Deutsche Welle reported on July 24:

“Many Catholics hope Pope Francis will strengthen laymen and women in church, who have been taking on responsibilities of priests in some rural areas. That might trigger a revolution, experts say.  The Catholic Church in Latin America has a way of dealing with contradictions: Instead of discussing whether women should be allowed to be ordained to the priesthood or debating the celibate, laymen go ahead and create precedents in their religious communities. They’ve come up with new forms of church services – services without a priest. Hopes are high during this year’s World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro that Pope Francis will give more power to ordinary people in the church: the laypersons. That would ultimately change the Catholic Church…

“Many laypersons have already come up with their own solution: they simply hold church services without the support of the clerics. They pray together, break the bread, administer wine, and care little about Catholic regulations, which specify that only priests are allowed to administer the sacrament of the Holy Communion… Rebellion and revolution – that’s nothing new for Latin America: In the 1960s and 70s, Latin American liberation theologians such as Gustavo Gutierrez and Oscar Romero inspired clergymen and believers all over the world. One of them was Ludwig Gerhard Müller, who now heads the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith…”

The Pope in Brazil—as If It’s Jesus?

The Washington Times wrote on July 24:

“Thousands of Catholic Church faithful crowded for a glimpse of Pope Francis on Wednesday, as he visited small town Aparecida, venerated Brazil’s patron saint and delivered his first public Mass on his visit to the country. ‘I have been up for almost 24 hours, most of that time on my feet and in the rain and the cold. But I don’t feel any pain. I feel bathed in God’s glory and that’s because of the pope,’ said Nacilda de Oliveira Silva, 61, in The Associated Press. ‘For me, it’s the same thing as seeing Jesus pass by. That’s how moved I feel.’”

Zenit added on July 24:

“Yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, July 23, Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta presided over the opening ceremony of Rio’s WYD [World Youth Day] with thousands of young people and hundreds of Bishops who defied a subtle and persistent rain… In his homily, Archbishop Tempesta… invited young people to come out of themselves and be ready to respond to God’s plan… Several times the archbishop addressed young people as ‘morning watchmen.’”

The Bible warns of religious deception and especially of those who proclaim to be servants of Christ, speaking on behalf of Christ, or pretending to be Christ, while rejecting His words. It is also interesting that young Catholics are being referred to as “watchmen,” while the true watchmen are proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ—the good news of the Kingdom of GOD—for instance, in our “StandingWatch” programs.

Obama: “Trayvon Martin Could Have Been Me.”

IB Times wrote on July 20:

“President Barack Obama made a surprise visit on Friday to the White House briefing room, where he reflected on comments made last year in the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin case. When Martin, 17, was shot and killed in Florida last February by Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch volunteer, the president had said the teen could have been his son. Reflecting upon the statement more than a year later, Obama said, ‘Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.’”

Breitbart added on July 19:

“President Obama strongly implied that George Zimmerman profiled Trayvon Martin due to Martin’s race, despite the utter lack of evidence that Zimmerman did so. In fact, an FBI investigation into Zimmerman turned up no evidence of racial bias, and the Department of Justice has been utterly unsuccessful in providing evidence of any racially-based federal crime committed by Zimmerman…  ‘I think, to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario that, from top to bottom, both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different,’ Obama stated.

“Obama provided no evidence for that contention. Such evidence would not include the case of Roderick Scott, a black man acquitted for the killing of white 17-year-old Christopher Cervini. Scott shot Cervini after confronting him and two others robbing a car; Cervini apparently charged Scott, who shot him. Scott was acquitted. Cervini’s aunt said, ‘How can this happen to a beautiful, sweet child like that? All he wanted to do was go home. And then for them to say, he was saying, ‘Please don’t kill me. I’m just a kid,’ and he just kept on shooting him.’ No word from President Obama on [that] case.”

Rather than unifying the country, unproven allegations of racial profiling only divide the country even more.

Ignorant Americans

CBS wrote on July 23:

“A new poll finds that a majority of Americans believe that God played a part in the evolution of humans… 62 percent of Americans believe God helped create humans. Thirty-seven percent of those believe God created human beings in their present form within the last 10,000 years while 25 percent believe human beings evolved from lesser life forms over millions of years but God guided the process. Only 21 percent believe that God did not play a part in human evolution.

“Seventeen percent of those polled were not sure if God played a part in the existence of humans… more people favored having creationism taught in schools than those that opposed. Forty percent of those polled believe that intelligent design – the belief that God created the universe – should be taught in public schools, while 32 percent opposed such teachings. Twenty-nine percent of Americans were not sure if creationism should be taught. The poll also found that those who say God played no part in human evolution rose from 13 percent in 2004 to 21 percent in 2013, an 8 percent increase.”

The truth is, the evolution theory is completely wrong, whether one believes in random chance or God’s “direction” during the alleged evolution process. But creationism is also wrong, as it does not believe in the clear teachings of the Bible either. For a better understanding, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—a Fairy Tale for Adults.” 

Politically Incorrect Crimes in Britain

Gatestone Institute wrote on July 17:

“Great Britain is in the throes of a rape and pedophilia epidemic unlike anything the country has experienced in living memory. Many of the sex crimes are being perpetrated by Muslim child grooming gangs responsible for drugging, raping and torturing hundreds and possibly thousands of British girls. But another wave of sex crimes involves predatory Muslim taxi drivers who are raping female passengers. The number of so-called taxi rapes is snowballing to such an extent that a British judge has issued a warning that no woman can expect to be safe while traveling in a cab…

“Apart from a few high-profile cases, taxi rapes are rarely reported by national newspapers in Britain, apparently because the politically incorrect crimes are not deemed to be newsworthy. But a survey of stories buried deep inside local newspapers shows that taxi rapes are occurring in all parts of England, Wales and Scotland on an almost daily basis.”

Cameron’s Pride At Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage in Britain

The Telegraph wrote on July 25:

“The Prime Minister spoke of his pride at legalising same sex marriage, just a year after explicitly giving a personal guarantee to do it by 2015 to a reception for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans-sexual community at 10 Downing Street. Mr Cameron told guests… that Britain was now ‘the best place to be gay, lesbian or transgender anywhere in Europe’.  He added: ‘That is a great achievement…’ He said that he wanted to ‘export’ same sex marriage around the world so other countries could follow suit… In his speech he told guests four times how proud he was to have been Prime Minister when same sex marriage was legalised in Britain… Although the Queen could hardly not have given her assent to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, [Cameron]  promised… that he intended to thank her ‘personally’ for signing it at his audience with her [on Wednesday evening]…”

Britain’s New Prince Third in Line to the Throne

The Associated Press reported on July 22:

“Prince William’s wife, Kate, has given birth to a prince [George Alexander Louis] who is now third in line to the British throne… No one can tell what political and personal changes the intervening years will bring, but the baby can be expected to become the head of state of 16 countries, including Britain, Australia and Canada. The child will also eventually become Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The little prince represents a living link to Britain’s imperial history – the infant is the great-great-great-great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria, who ruled at the peak of British power.”

In light of the signs of the time, it is highly unlikely that the new-born prince will ever sit on the British throne.

Japan Urges the UK Not to Leave the EU

BBC News wrote on July 21:

“Thousands of jobs with Japanese firms could be at risk if the UK leaves the EU, the Japanese government has hinted… Japan said its firms were attracted to the UK because it offered a gateway to the European market. ‘If the UK leaves the single market… that is not good news,’ the Japanese embassy told the Sunday Times… Japan said it was ‘committed to making its relationship with the EU stronger than ever before.’ It added: “’In this context, it expects that the UK will maintain a strong voice and continue to play a major role in the EU…’

“But Conservative MP Julian Brazier dismissed Japan’s concerns. He told the newspaper: ‘It’s kind of the Japanese to give us guidance on our national destiny but at a time when the eurozone is in a crisis unseen for nearly a century I’m not sure they are well qualified to see the way forward for Britain. In deciding on our national interest we may have to disappoint their expectations.’”

Although it may make sense to the UK to leave the EU, this is a prophesied development which will lead to the UK’s downfall.

Turkey in Uproar

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 23:

“Following mass anti-government protests in Turkey, Ankara is now taking revenge on its critics. Activists and demonstrators are being investigated and intimidated, while journalists are getting fired and insubordinate civil servants transferred far afield… The demolition of the park in downtown Istanbul was only the initial cause of the protests, which have continued and are now directed against the government. The protesters’ numbers have dwindled from the hundreds of thousands who had been attending the mass protests, though. Many are exhausted, but many are also afraid.

“Largely unnoticed by the public, a big cleanup has begun, in which those who opposed Prime Minister Erdogan and his administration in recent weeks are now being punished. Activists are being locked up, journalists bullied and demonstrators persecuted. The Turkish parliament has deprived the chamber of architects and engineers of its voice in urban planning projects. The Turkish education ministry has ordered schools to provide it with the names of all teachers who took part in the protests, who could now face adverse consequences…

“According to Turkish human rights organizations, the police have arrested at least 3,000 people, including children. Although some have been released, no one knows how many are still in prison… Turkish journalists have suffered from repression for years. No other country in the world has as many journalists behind bars… For the first time, the policy of intimidation is also directed against foreign journalists…  But the government’s attempts to intimidate are only fueling a spirit of resistance among some people…”

Bulgaria in Uproar

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 24:

“Forty days of anti-government protests culminated Tuesday night in an eight-hour blockade of Bulgaria’s parliament in Sofia. Police ended the siege on Wednesday morning, escorting more than 100 officials out of the building amid ongoing unrest… The blockade was the culmination of weeks-long protests and clashes with the police, triggered by a government decision to name media tycoon Delyan Peevski as head of the National Security Agency. The move was seen as evidence of private interests controlling public institutions. The government’s subsequent withdrawal of the appointment was seen as too little, too late in the European Union’s poorest country, and crowds took their outrage to the streets, demanding the cabinet’s resignation.

“An angry mob estimated by French news agency AFP to include 2,000 people surrounded the parliament building on Tuesday evening chanting slogans like ‘Mafia!’ and ‘Resign!’ as lawmakers took part in a late-night sitting to discuss a controversial budget adjustment that would raise the deficit and state borrowing limit… President Rosen Plevneliev asked both demonstrators and police to remain ‘peaceful and civilized.’… The Socialist-led government came to power in May, following the resignation of the previous cabinet amid heavy anti-austerity protests.

“Protesters in Bulgaria have now taken to the streets for some 40 days to demonstrate against the Socialist-led government and its junior coalition partner, the Turkish minority DPS party. The protests are an expression of outrage over corruption, nepotism and impoverishment in the country.”

Ban on Kosher Slaughter and Anti-Semitism in Poland

JTA wrote on July 16:

“Hundreds of comments calling on Jews to leave Poland have appeared beneath news articles in the days since the country’s parliament defeated a bill that would have reversed a ban on kosher slaughter, or shechitah, first imposed in January. ‘The ban is bad enough because it’s the result of disinformation, but it opened the door to anti-Semitism that’s very evident in these comments,’ said Piotr, who with his wife is a founding member of Czulent, an association of young Krakow Jews.

“The shechitah ban and ensuing anti-Semitic outbursts come as painful reminders that despite years of government-led projects celebrating Jewish tradition, Poland still has a long way to go…

“In January, a constitutional court, responding to a petition filed by animal welfare activists, outlawed religious slaughter in Poland. A law that would have reinstated shechitah was rejected by the Sjem, the Polish parliament, on July 12 by a vote of 222-178. On Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had no plans to reintroduce legislation to lift the ban.

“The Polish ban is not the first time a European country has put animal welfare concerns above the religious freedom of its Jewish and Muslim minorities. In 2011, a large majority of the lower house of the Dutch parliament passed a bill banning the practice, but it was scrapped by the Dutch Senate. Laws banning kosher slaughter also are on the books in Norway, Switzerland, Latvia, Sweden and Iceland…

“[Poland] is the sole European country that does not offer private property restitution to [Holocaust] survivors and their heirs… Last month, a prosecutor in the northern city of Bialystok called swastikas ‘symbols of prosperity’ in explaining the refusal to investigate the painting of Nazi symbols on municipal property. Earlier that month, a Polish official said the courts were ‘powerless’ to stop a declaredly anti-Semitic political party from running in elections. In April, a survey found that 44 percent of 1,250 Warsaw teenagers polled said they would rather not have Jewish neighbors. More than 60 percent said they did not want Jewish spouses…

“Jews and Muslims are not the only ones affected by the ban, which has shut down the country’s robust export industry of kosher and halal meat. Estimates place the value of the ritual slaughter industry at more than $500 million…”

On July 23, JTA wrote the following:

“A Polish government minister asked Jewish and Muslim representatives to petition the country’s Constitutional Court to sort out conflicting laws that have led to a ban on ritual slaughter. According to a statement Monday by the office of Michal Boni, the Polish minister responsible for religious affairs, the minister asked the representatives to petition the court with regard to the 1997 Act on the Relation of the State to the Jewish Communities in Poland, which states that ritual slaughter may be performed in accordance with the needs of the local Jewish community.

“The law appears to conflict with Article 34 of the 1997 Law on the Protection of Animals, which states that ‘vertebrate animal in a slaughterhouse may be killed only after being knocked unconscious by qualified personnel.’ Muslim and Jewish religious laws require animals be conscious before their necks are cut. ‘The matter can only be settled by Constitutional Court,’ read a statement sent from by Boni’s office. According to the statement, Boni asked Piotr Kadlcik, president of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland, and Poland’s chief rabbi, Michael Schudrich, to petition the court on the issue…”

Anti-Semitism in Europe is prophesied to sharply increase and grow. But not just in Europe… see the next article.

America vs. Israel

JTA reported on July 23:

“A federal court upheld the State Department’s refusal to list ‘Israel’ as the country of birth for Americans born in Jerusalem. The 42-page decision released Tuesday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia delved into constitutional law in finding that Congress, in passing a 2002 law mandating the listing of ‘Israel’ should Americans born in Jerusalem request it, impinged on the executive branch’s foreign policy prerogative.

“President Obama and his predecessor, George W. Bush, have refused to implement the law, saying it violates longstanding policy that does not recognize any nation’s sovereignty in the city and leaves its status to be decided in peace talks. The request to list Israel ‘runs headlong into a carefully calibrated and longstanding Executive branch policy of neutrality toward Jerusalem,’ the court ruled.”

Same-Sex Marriages Sign of End of Days

The website rferl.org reported on July 21:

“The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has said that the legal recognition of same-sex marriage is ‘a very dangerous sign of the apocalypse.’  Patriarch Kirill told a congregation at Kazan Cathedral in Moscow’s Red Square on July 21 that such recognition ‘means people are choosing a path of self-destruction.’ The patriarch criticized the states that have legalized same-sex marriage, saying that ‘some countries approve their choice in favor of sin and justify it by law.’

“Kirill also said he supports a ban on ‘homosexual propaganda’ recently signed into law by President Vladimir Putin. Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993 but remains stigmatized in a country where the Orthodox Church still holds considerable influence. Gay-rights parades are forbidden…”

Even though it is very unpopular to voice this, Kirill’s statements and warnings are in line with the teachings and prophecies of the Bible.

Major Earthquakes Hit New Zealand and China

The age.com.au reported on July 21:

“A large 6.5 earthquake has hit central New Zealand, sending people diving for cover in the capital of Wellington. The quake was felt widely across the country… It is the latest in a sequence of major earthquakes that have been hitting Wellington and wider areas around central New Zealand since Thursday… Quakes measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale, 5.5 and 6.9 have all hit the Wellington area.”

CNN reported on July 22:

“Rescue teams are scrambling to reach the site of Monday morning’s strong and shallow earthquake in northwestern China that has killed at least 89 people, according to state media. Another 593 people were injured and five were believed missing after the quake tore through Gansu Province, China Daily reported… The original quake and powerful aftershocks caused roofs to collapse, cut telecommunications lines and damaged a major highway linking the provincial capital of Lanzhou to the south, according to the China Daily newspaper… According to the Gansu Provincial Seismological Bureau, the quake registered a magnitude of 6.6, however the U.S. Geological Survey said it was a 5.9-magnitude tremor, which struck at the relatively shallow depth of about half a mile (1 kilometer).”

Christ warned of major earthquakes here and there, just prior to His return.

In Exodus 6:2-3, God states the following to Moses:

“And God spoke to Moses and said to him: ‘I am the LORD [YHWH or Yahweh; some translate erroneously as Jehovah. The expression “Eternal” is perhaps the best rendering in the English language to convey the correct meaning]. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty [El Shaddai], but by My name LORD [YHWH] I was not known to them.” The Authorized Version says: “… but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”

Compare also Exodus 3:14,-15, where God reveals Himself for the first time to MOSES as “the LORD [YHWH] God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, And the God of Jacob.”  He identifies Himself as “I AM WHO I AM,” and adds that “This is My name forever.”

The passage in Exodus 6:3, as translated in the New King James Bible, poses a big problem, as God was most certainly known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as others, by His Name LORD (ETERNAL) or YHWH.

We read about ABRAHAM (then still called Abram) in Genesis 12:8: “… there he built an altar to the LORD [YHWH] and called on the name of the LORD [YHWH].” Also, in Genesis 13:4: “And there Abram called on the name of the LORD [YHWH].” Note also Genesis 14:22, where Abram refers to God as “the LORD [YHWH], God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth.” In Genesis 22:14, we read: “And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide [YHWH Yireh]…”

In Genesis 26:22, 25, we read about ISAAC: “So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, ‘For now the LORD [YHWH] has made room for us…’ … So he built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD [YHWH]…”

When God spoke to JACOB in a dream, He revealed Himself in this way, as Genesis 28:13 reports: “And behold the LORD [YHWH] stood above it [ a ladder] and said, ‘I am the LORD [YHWH] God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac…’” Compare also Genesis 28:21; 32:9. Even prior to his dream, Jacob had already referred to God as LORD or YHWH in Genesis 27:20.

In addition, the first human being who is reported as referring to God as YHWH is Eve. She said in Genesis 4:1: “I have acquired a man [Cain] from the LORD [YHWH]…” Later, at the time of Adam and Eve’s son Seth, “men began to call on the name of the LORD [YHWH]” (Genesis 4:26). We also read in Genesis 9:26 that Noah referred to God as “the LORD [YHWH], The God of Shem…” Finally, both Rachel and her father Laban knew God’s name, LORD or YHWH (Genesis 30:24, 27).

From the foregoing examples, it is obvious that the name LORD or YHWH was known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as to others, prior to Moses.

The Pulpit Commentary states the following:

“The explanation of this passage is by no means easy. God himself, according to Genesis 15:7, revealed himself to Abraham as Jehovah [YHWH] before declaring his name to be El-Shaddai (God Almighty); and again revealed himself to Jacob as Jehovah [YHWH]-Elohim (Genesis 28:13). Abraham named the place where he had been about to sacrifice Isaac, ‘Jehovah [YHWH] –jireh’ (Genesis 22:14). That Moses regarded the name as known even earlier, appears from Genesis 4:1. It was probably as old as language. The apparent meaning of the present passage cannot therefore be its true meaning. No writer would so contradict himself…”

Many commentaries and scholars have attempted to provide an “explanation” for this apparent inconsistency, but many, if not most, of these explanations are unconvincing.

For instance, the Ryrie Study Bible says that “The name Yahweh was known to the patriarchs… but its significance as the One who would redeem Israel from Egyptian bondage was not known until this time.” Apart from the fact that God does not associate the meaning of His name with Israel’s freedom from Egyptian bondage, Abraham DID know about Israel’s future slavery and release (compare Genesis 15:13-14).

The Nelson Study Bible is also incorrect in stating that even though the patriarchs knew God’s name, YHWH, they did not know God in an intimate way. But they most certainly did, as can be seen, for instance, in the moving dialogue between God and Abraham regarding the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Others have tried to explain Exodus 6:3 by saying that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew God’s name, but not His character. This is equally nonsensical. In order to enter the Kingdom of God, we must strive to become perfect, as God is perfect. This means, that we have to acquire and develop God’s holy and righteous character. The Bible tells us that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be in God’s kingdom. Therefore, they knew God’s character, and they were successful in developing it in their lives.

How, then, are we to understand the statement in Exodus 6:3 that God had not revealed His name YHWH to them?

The commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown points out that God’s statement is not one of affirmative confirmation, but is to be understood as a self-evident rhetorical  question:

“… but by my name, etc.,—rather, interrogatively, by My name Jehovah [YHWH] was I not known to them? Am not I, the Almighty God, who pledged My honor for the fulfillment of the covenant, also the self-existent God who lives to accomplish it? Rest assured, therefore, that I shall bring it to pass…”

The New Scofield Reference Edition offers five explanations, the last four of which can be ruled out right away. But the first one is interesting and in harmony with the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary. It says the following: “The statement, ‘By my name JEHOVAH [YHWH] was I not known to them,’ can also be translated as a rhetorical question, ‘By my name JEHOVAH [YHWH] was I not known to them?’”

Clarke’s Commentary offers this explanation as well as one of several “possibilities” (“The words should be read interrogatively, for the negative particle …..  not, has this power often in Hebrew. ‘I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the name of God Almighty, and by my name Jehovah [YHWH] was I not also made known unto them?’”)

The Ed Nelson Commentary agrees, explaining:

“Sometimes the way the Hebrew text is translated into other languages causes mind-puzzling questions in the minds of readers. Such is the case with Exodus 6:2-3 with its puzzling statement in English that contradicts the Book of Genesis… In our English Bibles, typically the name Yahweh is rendered as ‘LORD’—usually with all letters capitalized…Virtually, all [English] translations agree that God withheld the revelation of his Name Yahweh until He revealed it to Moses… In the final analysis, we [are] posited with the view that either Exodus 6:3 is right—that God did not reveal Himself as Yahweh before the time of Moses, or, if He did as Genesis claims, then Exodus 6:3 [is] wrong, or corrupt.”

The latter is indeed the conclusion of many biblical “scholars.” They claim that the “contradiction” is explained by the [false] concept that the book of Genesis and the book of Exodus were written by different “sources,” which do not always harmonize. Or, they offer the equally false idea that the writer of Exodus placed God’s name YHWH into the mouths of the fathers and others, in anticipation of the revelation of God’s name in the book of Exodus. This would mean, however, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not really know God’s name YHWH and that they did not really speak of and pray to God as YHWH—and that the Bible would contain misstatements and lies. This absurdity must be rejected.

Nelson went on to state:

“In reading the Hebrew Bible, often we do not know if a question is being asked or not until we read the whole context of the passage. Does the sentence make sense without it inferring a question is being asked? Then it is likely a statement. Does the sentence make sense only by understanding it to be a question? Then it is probably a question. Often an interrogative statement, that is, a question, will include a negative word like ‘not’ to offset it from the rest of the declarative statements. If we find a negative in a sentence that translates as ‘not,’ we should consider if the negative is to be understood as a flag to alert us that a question is being asked.

“This is the case with Exodus 6:2-3. It has a negative ‘not’ in it, whereas the other sentences around it do not. So this is how the text ought to read in English:  ‘God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am Yahweh. And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as El Shaddai. And by my name, Yahweh, did I not make myself known to them?”’ The answer is a resounding yes.

“By adding the interrogative, ‘And by my name Yahweh, did I not make myself known to them?’ the sons of Israel should recognize the higher authority of Moses over Pharaoh amidst the troubles they face as slaves… The Hebrew slaves should understand that Moses was sent by Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Divine help and deliverance was on the way. They should not be afraid, but be hopeful and supportive. Their time of tribulation was ending soon.”

This explanation appears to be the only logical and convincing one, which is consistent with and takes into account all pertinent Scriptures—and it is also compelling in light of the fact that there is no punctuation in the original Hebrew text. Further, the original does not use the words “but by” (in “BUT BY My name [YHWH] was I not known…”) rather, it says: “as to”, in “AS TO My name [YHWH] (compare Young’s Literal Translation) was I not known…” The misuse of the word “but” could signify a difference in God’s statement (“I revealed Myself to the fathers as El Shaddai, BUT not as YHWH”), but the original wording “as to…” does not contain the thought of such a difference (“I revealed Myself to the fathers as El Shaddai, and as to My name YHWH, was I not (also) known by that?”).

Whether a sentence is meant to be an affirmative statement or an interrogatory, can only be determined by the context. Here, it appears that Genesis 6:3 contains indeed a self-explanatory rhetorical question (“Did I not make Myself known to them as YHWH?”), which does not need or deserve an answer: God had revealed His name YHWH to the fathers, as well as others, and now He is revealing it again to Moses. He is the all-powerful, ever-living and never-changing God who will keep His promises to Abraham and lead the Israelites out of slavery.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Norbert and Johanna Link, along with Mrs. Margaret Adair, will be visiting the Oregon brethren for Sabbath services on August 3, 2013.

Rene Messier has returned from Kenya and submitted the following report:

“While in Kenya, I had three meetings with several members, prospective members and visitors. On Friday, I met with 9 people. We discussed various topics and I fielded questions.

“On the Sabbath, there were 17 in attendance–13 men, 3 women and one child. We opened our services with three hymns and I gave the opening prayer. I showed the StandingWatch program on hell, gave a sermon about the Sabbath, and closed with prayer.

“We then took a break with tea and coffee and some goodies that I had brought from  Canada—chocolate-covered almonds, wrapped candies and assorted nuts. In the afternoon, I talked about church government and organization; requirements for baptism and commitment to God.  I also answered questions at the end of the session.

“On Sunday morning, I conducted a session on leadership, with three men in attendance.

“All were very friendly. Some of the prospective members had experienced former Worldwide Church of God association or fellowship.”

“Neu! Versammlungen am Sabbat und Gottes Jahresfesten,” is the title of a new German sermon which discusses the requirement of appropriate Church attendance on the Sabbath and the Holy Days, with special focus on the Feast of Tabernacles. The title in English is:  “Assemblies on the Sabbath and God’s Annual Feasts.”

“Is Pope Francis Really Changing the Catholic Church?,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
 
Recent developments within the Catholic Church should not go unnoticed. It appears as if Pope Francis “truly wants to change the Catholic Church,” and some of his decisive actions are of great concern to the “Vatican apparatus.” However, his changes do not address core Catholic teachings, such as the unbiblical beliefs in purgatory, indulgences or dead Catholic “saints” who are supposed to work now miracles from heaven. The Vatican is once again “rocked by scandal,” pertaining to corruption within the Vatican Bank. What does all of this mean in the light of biblical prophecy?

“Sex between Angels and Women?,” is the title of another new StandingWatch program presented by Mr. Link. It will be posted this weekend. Here is a summary for this program:

Many believe that at the time of Noah, angelic beings had sexual intercourse with women and produced giants. Is this the teaching of the Bible? If not, what are the origins of this concept? And how are we to understand the biblical statement in the book of Genesis, chapter 6, that “sons of God” “took wives for themselves” from the “daughters of men” who “bore children to them”?

 As we announced in the last Update, Brian Gale has begun recording audio programs for the UK, promoting our literature and StandingWatch programs. Johanna Link is adding visual components and posting the programs on YouTube. For this purpose, we have opened a local YouTube account in the UK, under the designation globalchurchsw BG

We have so far posted three programs on this local channel, namely “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God” and “The StandingWatch program”; “Have You Been Born Again?’” is the title of the third StandingWatch program presented by Mr. Gale. Further programs will follow.

We have recently learned that Mrs. Win Cartwright died peacefully in her sleep at her home on the 7th July. She lived in North Lincolnshire in England and was in her 103rd year.  Although not a baptized member of the Church of God, she supported her son who was a member of the Global Church of God and who preceded his mother in death in 2009 at the age of 64.

Win, as she liked to be called, was very positive about the church and members and attended weekly local Sabbath services and the Feast of Tabernacles until both the death of Peter and her advancing age precluded her from continuing to do so. She was a very postive and cultured lady who will be missed by her family and friends.

RADIO TIME CHANGE: We are going to move our StandingWatch radio program from 10:45 to 11:00am Saturday on KCNW (Kansas City). The program will begin airing at 11:00am on August 10th. In addition, we will add a play time at 6:00pm every Saturday beginning July 27th.

by Joan R. Pope

In 1960 I drove to Florida from Pittsburgh and moved in with my parents. Later–the year was 1965–I was working five days a week at the local newspaper. My boss, the Senior Vice President of our department, called me into his office and said: “This young man here would like a proper introduction to you.” We started dating later that week, and soon he took me to meet his family.

His mother worked daily. All her children (other than her son) were in high school… and, they needed the money. Her husband was my young friend’s stepfather and worked as a day cook…

My new friend’s mother was quite attached to her only son, and she was keenly aware of his interest in me… She told me one day that she frequently visited a local fortune teller and asked whether I would accompany her soon.  I deliberated what I should do. I was not yet a baptized member of the Church of God, although I listened to Mr. Armstrong on the radio as frequently as I could. At the same time, I was receiving the Plain Truth and Good News magazines and the various booklets published by the Church. I was aware of most, but not all of God’s judgments, commandments and precepts. However, I still was not sure what to say to my new friend’s mother without hurting her feelings.

One day my friend dropped me off at her house as she had again invited me to lunch. Afterward she said: “While you’re here, we may as well go see my dear friend the ‘fortune teller.’” We got in her car and drove the short distance to the fortune teller’s small home to get my fortune told.  She knocked on the door several times and declared to me that she had an appointment and wondered why there was no answer to her knock.  While standing on the porch, I noticed a curtain move in the front window. Still, no one came to let us inside. So we went back toward her house, and she conveniently dropped me off at the newspaper office.

The following week, she again invited me to her home for lunch. Afterward, she once more said she had another appointment with the “fortune teller.” I was afraid that I was going to have to go through with it this time.  However, when we arrived at the fortune teller’s home, the same thing occurred; we knocked, and we knocked, and no one ever came to the door.  I was soooooo relieved as in the meantime I was discovering more and more in the Bible as to what GOD says about staying away from sorcerers, palm readers, fortune tellers and the like.

To this day I’m firmly convinced that GOD prevented me from a situation that was seemingly out of my control; though it really wasn’t, as I could have begged off. But, I was still learning and cognizant of the fact that my friend’s mother wanted to find out what I was all about. We did become friends, and she never mentioned the situation ever again.  I still thank GOD for His divine protection from the demons I might have encountered behind that unanswered door.